Gluten-Free Pecan Pie Mini Muffins

These gluten-free Pecan Pie Mini Muffins are a bite-sized muffin version of pecan pie. And oh, yes, they are every bit as irresistible and as delicious as you can imagine! February 20 is National Muffin Day so it’s the perfect time to share this recipe with you! (For future reference, Pecan Pie Day is celebrated on July 12.)

In addition to the bite-sized factor—because bite-sized is always nice in my opinion—why mini muffins instead of regular-sized muffins? Well, the mini muffins not only look like mini pecan pies (they’re flat on top because there is no leavening agent); you also get a higher ratio of the perfectly caramelized outside to the delightful yummy inside than you would if you made regular-sized muffins.

While I and so many gfe readers love my Crustless Pecan Pie, as you all know I also love muffins. Every day. Not just on Muffin Day. As evidenced by the multitude of delicious muffin recipes on gfe, including all those shared in March Muffin Madness events over the years. So, Pecan Pie Muffins seem like an obvious gfe creation, right?

Honestly, I first made Pecan Pie Mini Muffins eons ago—before I went gluten free in 2003. That gluten-full recipe (and lots of slight variations) is all over the interwebs. The version I’m sharing today is simply a gluten-free version created by subbing in my Two-Ingredient Gluten-Free Flour Mix for the gluten-full all-purpose flour.

That’s the only ingredient change but my version also comes with a shorter baking time because oddly, the baking time for most gluten-full versions shared online is way too long. When I initially made these muffins, I did not question the baking time and the mini muffins turned out both hard as a rock and next to impossible to remove from the muffin tin.

I had not thought of these Pecan Pie Mini Muffins again until recently when I came across the recipe when going through one of my recipe boxes. (Side note: Don’t throw away those gluten-full recipes! Most can be converted to gluten-free versions.) I instantly wanted Pecan Pie Muffins so as soon as I had pecans on hand, I made a batch.

Oh, how I loved them! I shared them with my mom who also loved them.

When I spoke to her a day later, I asked if she had any muffins left. She blurted out “No.” as if she was surprised that I was asking such a ridiculous question. Haha. She’s not wrong. These muffins are irresistible. One almost immediately leads to another.

A few days after the first batch, I made another batch. Because I wanted more of these delicious muffins and also because I wanted to ensure that I could make the muffins without them sticking to the muffin liners. The first time they had stuck more than I liked. Once the muffins were completely cooled, the liners could be removed from the muffins fairly easily but in doing so the muffins crumbled some.

Fill muffin liners almost full when making these gluten-free Pecan Mini Muffins.

I wanted to avoid any crumbling. So, the second time around, I sprayed some of the liners with olive oil spray (you could also use coconut oil spray or Pam) and for the remainder of the muffins, I used If You Care Mini Unbleached Baking Cups. Spraying the muffin liners with olive oil spray and using the If You Care muffin liners both worked fine but I prefer using the liners to having to spray over 24 muffin liners.

I had heard about If You Care muffin/cupcake liners over the years and always read that they worked very well but the liners I’d used worked well enough. Until now.

The description of the If You Care Unbleached Baking Cups says “No greasing needed.” That description is spot on. The liners peel away from the muffins easily. They were perfect for these muffins. Honestly, I’m amazed at how easily the muffins come out of these muffin/cupcake liners.

If You Care makes non-stick unbleached baking cups for regular-sized muffins and jumbo muffins, as well as parchment paper and many more products.

I ordered mine from Amazon but I understand that you can get them at a much lower price at local stores, including discount stores. You can also order them at a reasonable price from If You Care’s own website. I am not affiliated with If You Care but I will probably do that next time when I wish to stock up.

Finally, no xanthan gum is needed for this recipe. However, if your gluten-free flour mix includes it, your results should still be fine. Now go bake some gluten-free Pecan Pie Mini Muffins because everyone deserves a little pecan pie!

More Gluten-Free Mini Muffin and Tassie Recipes

~ Baby’s First Muffins 

~ Butterscotch Tassies 

~ Chocolate Chip Pumpkin and Ginger Muffins 

~ Muffins That Taste Like Donuts 

~ Paleo Mini Muffins for Kids 

~ Pecan Tassies 

~ Powdered Sugar Donut Muffins 

Gluten-Free Pecan Pie Mini Muffins Recipe

Yield: 24 to 30 mini muffins

Gluten-Free Pecan Pie Mini Muffins

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These irresistible bite-sized treats are a cross between a pecan pie and a muffin. As you would expect, they disappear quickly!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 11 tbsp butter, melted (equals 2/3 cup after melting)
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• ½ cup gluten-free flour mix (I use my Two-Ingredient Gluten-Free Flour Mix)
• 1 cup pecans, chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line muffin tins with liners and spray liners with olive oil spray or similar if you are not using non-stick liners such as If You Care brand.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add melted butter. (I actually add the butter to my large microwave-proof bowl and then place it in the microwave about 30 seconds or so to melt the butter.)
3. Stir in brown sugar. Stir in eggs.
4. Add gluten-free flour mix and pecans, mixing until ingredients are just incorporated.
5. Spoon batter into liners until almost full.
6. Bake about 15 to 17 minutes, testing for doneness using a toothpick.
7. Cool completely.

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